Treatment abroad: Switzerland 

Switzerland, renowned for its precision and excellence, is a leading destination for medical tourism, offering world-class healthcare in fields such as oncology, neurology, and orthopaedics, amidst its picturesque landscapes and renowned hospitality.

Switzerland has a long-standing reputation as a centre for health and wellbeing. Combine that with excellence in medical care and fabulous private medical facilities and you have a premium European destination for medical tourists.

Why consider Switzerland for treatment?

Lakes, mountains, culture and skiing are all on offer in Switzerland and now the country famous for its neutral status, a cheese with a hole in it and triangular shaped chocolate is a serious consideration for the medical tourist wishing to get some top quality dentistry or elective surgery, and in particular, spinal surgery. The Swiss health system is world-renowned and highly regarded doctors and staff work in modern, state-of-the-art hospitals and clinics.

Situated in the very heart of Europe Switzerland is bordered by Germany, Austria, France, Italy, and Liechtenstein. Private clinics are located in or around principle cities such as Zurich, Berne and Geneva and are easily accessible by plane, public transport or car. Hirslanden for example is a group of specialist private hospitals offering a broad range of medical services in Switzerland and one of their clinics, Birshoff in Munchenstein Basel, offers particular expertise in spinal surgery. Switzerland is also a good option if you would like to have metal-free implantology as biologic aesthetic dental care is available here.

While in Switzerland the medical tourist has plenty of outdoor recreation at his/her disposal, including hiking, walking, cycling, golf and of course skiing, not least because twenty percent of the Alps are located here and these mountain ranges tend to get a good snow fall. The climate in Switzerland is temperate on the Central Plateau but varies from region to region depending on the various air currents from the Atlantic, the eastern continent, the northern sub-polar region and the south Mediterranean. You can expect a wet and cool spring and a warm, dry summer with maximum temperatures of around 35 degrees Celsius. Autumn is cool and dry and winter is characteristically cold but dry – the temperature regularly drops below 0 degrees Celsius especially at night and the lower elevations usually get at least a foot of snow during the winter months.

Several languages are spoken in Switzerland, influenced by the neighbouring countries of France, Germany, Italy and Austria. German is predominantly spoken (or the German-Swiss dialect; Schwyzerdtsch), along with French, Italian and a small percentage speaking Romansch. English is also widely spoken.

Reasons to choose Switzerland

State of the art clinics and hospitals

World-renowned surgeons and consultants

Specialists in spinal surgery

Not the cheapest, but one of the best destinations

Easy to reach Central European location

Chocolate box scenery and chocolate!

Dentistry in Switzerland : Dentist accreditation and qualifications

The Federal office of Public Health (FPOH) is located in Berne and has overall responsibility for health care in Switzerland while the Swiss Medical Association is responsible for undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education for doctors and surgeons. Doctors should hold a Titulaire du diplme de mdicin/Eidgenssische diplomiertier Arzt/titolare di diploma federale di medico (federal diploma of doctor) awarded by the Swiss Dpartement Fedral de l’Interieur. Cosmetic surgeons should be members of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS)

The Swiss Dental Chamber oversees the dental profession and is located at Mnzgraben, 2 PO Box 664 CH 3000 Bern 7 (tel: + 41 31 311 76 28). Specialist dental societies include the Swiss Society of Periodontology, the Swiss Society for Pedodontics, and the Swiss Society for Maxillo-Facial Surgery.

Travel and accommodation

The two main international airports in Switzerland are located at Geneva and Zurich, but the cities of Basel, Berne and Lugano also receive international flights. Geneva International Airport is very close to the city centre and getting to and from the airport is simple via train or bus on the public transport network. The airport railway station is adjacent to the arrivals/departures and the journey time into Geneva city centre is just six minutes (to Geneva-Cornavin station) with regular services departing every 15 minutes. Alternatively, bus number 10 departs from in front of the train station and goes into the city centre (and Onex) every 10 minutes. To get to the Lake take bus number 28. You can also take a taxi from Geneva airport into the centre of town for a few Swiss Francs.

Zurich Kloten International Airport is located 11km north east of Zurich centre and trains run between Zurich main station and the airport every 10 minutes during peak periods (journey time is ten minutes) as well as buses to the surrounding area. From Zurich you will also find inter-city and regional trains to connect with main towns and cities such as Berne, Basel, St. Gallen, Lucerne, Constance, Geneva, Lausanne and Zug, with regular departures every 30 minutes as well as an hourly train to Lugano.

The international airport at Basel (Euroairport, Basel, Mulhouse, Freiburg) is located on French territory, just 10 minutes from Basel city centre, and is the only bi-national airport in the world. You can take bus number 50 (four times an hour, journey time 15 minutes) from the airport to Basel Central Train station, or just take a taxi into the city centre. Getting around Basel is straightforward with its efficient public transport system and frequent, modern trains which link the three Basel railway stations with Swiss cities and with mainland Europe. The boat berth is also close to the city centre at Elssserrheinweg and for drivers, the major motorway junction connects Basel with the rest of Europe.

Travelling around the country

Switzerland has a unique, efficient and top class public transport system, not least because of its integrated travel system involving train, postal bus, boat and cable railway services from a combination of Swiss transport companies enabling visitors to enjoy scenic journeys and get right to the top of the hill for the most breathtaking vistas. The travel system also includes ‘check in’ for flights at railway stations and baggage free travel with the luggage transportation service.

The national rail company (the Swiss Federal Railways) has recently improved its rail services to offer shorter travel times and more frequent services and there are also plenty of fast reliable inter-European services from nearby countries (daily services from major cities in Germany, Italy, Austria, Spain, France, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Scandinavia).

SBB (the Swiss travel and transport company) has information about public transport and driving in Switzerland and if you are planning on taking several journeys around the country then the Swiss Pass, which allows unlimited travel on the public transport for a minimum of four days up to one month, is great value.

Buses and trams run in the cities but remember to purchase your tickets from the machines before embarking. If you are travelling from other European locations then the CityNightLine, a unique travel arrangement involving a Swiss Airways flight between Switzerland, Denmark, Netherlands and Germany and an overnight passenger train journey is a good consideration. Visitors can also use Die Bahn to organise travel arrangements online (including hotels) and the Swiss timetable will help with route planning.

For drivers the usual car rental companies are available at airports and in major towns and cities and getting to Switzerland by road is hassle free with fast, quiet and well-maintained motorways through all surrounding countries. The roads are well maintained, and you can enjoy the country’s auto-route network as well as some very enjoyable car window views. The Swiss auto-routes are tolled and a ‘vignette’ sticker must be displayed by all drivers wishing to use the auto-routes. These can be purchased on entering the country at border posts or from post offices and garages. Although it is possible to get around Switzerland without using the auto-routes, it will certainly speed up journey times and you will get to experience some of the most breathtaking car journeys, such as the route from Montreux to Lausanne which has the Jura on one side and Lake Geneva on the other. As with other European countries driving is on the right. For driving tips in Switzerland see Auto Europe’s guide.

Switzerland remains ‘neutral’ and has not joined the European Union. It has kept its original currency, the Swiss Franc, otherwise known as CHF and €1 = approximately 1.25 CHF.

As far as accommodation goes you can expect to pay from around 150 CHF for a double room in a three star hotel in the major cities and from 220 CHF for a double room in a four star hotel. Prices for hotels with lakeside vistas are obviously more expensive. You can search for accommodation on the Switzerland tourist department’s website.

Switzerland is in the Central European time zone, and is GMT + 2 in the summer time.

About Switzerland

Switzerland is a land locked, mountainous and famously neutral country in the heart of Europe, which is the home to internationally renowned banks, watchmakers and chocolatiers. But there is much more to Switzerland than first meets the eye.

There is no denying that Switzerland is a country of outstanding beauty with quaint mountain villages in the Alps, tranquil blue lake vistas, glamorous ski resorts like St Moritz and fields full of edelweiss. Yes, you will find cuckoo clocks and chocolate; yes you will find German-style punctual bureaucrats; but there are other sides to Switzerland that are altogether more laid back and relaxed. Their French and Italian neighbours also make their influence known here, with a chic style and caf culture that contrasts strongly with the popular misconception of the Swiss way of life.

Switzerland is fiercely independent and played no part in either of the World Wars. Indeed, it only joined the United Nations in 2002 and remains outside of the European Union, but that doesn’t mean it is an outsider. If anything, Switzerland’s neutral status makes it a major powerbroker in the region, with Geneva home to many UN organisations as well as the International Red Cross. Geneva is a truly international city, with almost half the population a tourist or foreign worker. And if Geneva is the briefcase of Switzerland, then Zurich is the wallet, with countless international banks based there. Swiss banks are famous for their discretion, and this makes Zurich the banking capital of Europe, if not the world.

Away from business, Interlaken and St Moritz are the places to head for outdoor fun, with some of the world’s best ski runs and winter sports on offer, surrounded by the breathtaking mountain scenery of the Alps. There are also endless hiking trails through the Alps and the Jura mountains offering stunning views to reward your climb.

When it comes to Swiss cities, the capital, Bern, is a chocolate box not to be missed, with its wonderful old town packed with traditional architecture and crafts. Its Old Town features on UNESCO’s World Heritage list with its Gothic cathedrals and interesting architecture. Zurich is the main financial, industrial and commercial area and is a culturally rich and trend-setting city while Geneva is home to many international organisations.

Also worth a visit is Basel, home to the world’s largest art fair and huge February carnival Basler Fasnacht. Even Zurich and Geneva know how to enjoy themselves, with countless festivals, lively nightlife and endless cultural attractions. Baden has the country’s richest source of mineral rich thermal waters so it is not surprising that health and wellbeing breaks are popular in Switzerland and are a great idea for some post-treatment pampering and relaxation, as are the picturesque and soul-soothing towns of Lucerne and Lausanne.

While the cities may be cosmopolitan, packed with art galleries, opera houses and nightspots, the countryside is as quiet and peaceful as it comes. Soaring mountains, placid lakes and the mile after mile of rolling hills in the Central Plateau are home to a lifestyle that hasn’t changed for centuries, and sees no reason why it should.

All in all, in the country that is famous for its timepieces and time keeping, you could just have the time of your life.